Canadian Football League

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Former Canadian Football League QB elected into College Football Hall Of Fame

Ex-Georgia Southern quarterback great goes in class with former Valdosta State standout linebacker Jessie Tuggle and former Florida A&M coach Billy Joe.DALLAS - Former Georgia Southern All-America quarterback Tracy Ham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, the National Football Foundation announced.The foundation announced the Hall of Fame Divisional Class of 2007, which consists of players and coaches from NCAA Division I-AA, Divisions II and III, and the NAIA for induction.The 2007 class includes Jessie Tuggle, who played linebacker for Valdosta State from 1983-86 and had a 14-year NFL career, and William "Billy" Joe, who won 237 games as coach of Florida A&M, Central State (Ohio) and Cheyney (Pa.). He won five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles with Florida A&M and two NAIA national titles with Central State.The Divisional Class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies July 19-21 in South Bend, Ind. The NFF will announce its induction class of players and coaches from major college football May 9.Ham started his Georgia Southern playing career in 1983. After just missing out on a playoffs berth in 1984, the following year he led the Eagles to the first of two consecutive I-AA national titles. Georgia Southern only became an I-AA program in 1984.Ham earned first-team All-America honors his senior year in 1986. Even 20 years following his playing days, Ham still holds more than 20 game, season and career records at Georgia Southern and owns 21 playoff game records.Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989."When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction."We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."playoff game records.Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989."When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction."We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."

Monday, April 30, 2007

Jon Cornish elects to play in the Canadian Football League

It took a year, but general manager Jim Barker of the Calgary Stampeders finally got his man.The Stampeders have agreed to terms on a contract with Canadian Jon Cornish after the record-setting Kansas Jayhawks running back was bypassed in the NFL draft Sunday. The six-foot, 205-pound Cornish had been projected as a late-round selection but was expected to sign with an NFL club as a free agent and collect a signing bonus of roughly US$10,000 to come to camp.However, Cornish's deal with the Stampeders, who took him in the second round of last year's Canadian college draft, reportedly includes a signing bonus exceeding $20,000.In keeping with team policy, Barker wouldn't discuss contract details and added Cornish, 22, has yet to officially sign the deal. But Barker did say he was surprised to land Cornish a year after drafting him."I definitely thought Jon would go on the second day (of this year's NFL draft)," Barker said. "He definitely had offers from the NFL to sign as a free agent but his feeling was if he wasn't drafted he wanted an opportunity to go somewhere he was wanted."That was his stance all along and he lived up to it, which is certainly good for us."Jeff Perrett of Lethbridge, Ont., a six-foot-seven, 320-pound offensive lineman also bypassed in last weekend's NFL draft, also signed with a CFL club Monday.Perrett, an offensive tackle at the University of Tulsa, signed a two-year deal plus an option with the Montreal Alouettes, who selected the 23-year-old in the third round of last year's Canadian college draft.Calgary's offence already boasts running back Joffrey Reynolds, who was second in CFL rushing last year with 1,541 yards and averaged a sparkling 5.9-yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns. But Cornish isn't exactly chopped liver, either, running for a Kansas single-season record 1,457 yards last year as a senior and averaging 5.8 yards per carry.Over his college career, Cornish rushed for 2,245 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry while scoring 17 touchdowns. He also registered 40 receptions for 344 yards and three TDs.But Cornish will offer the Stampeders much more than just depth in the backfield.Cornish is also a very accomplished special-teams player, having spent most of his first three years at Kansas on special teams. He was also the only Canadian player this year invited to the NFL combine, where the top U.S. college prospects go through a myriad of drills and psychological testing under the watchful eyes of NFL coaches, GMs and scouts.As a Canadian playing a position usually reserved for Americans, the addition of Cornish also gives the Stampeders the flexibility of playing another American elsewhere on their roster."It changes the ratio for us and gives us a bit more leeway," Barker said.